


Play nice, play Pharah

by ClareGuilty



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, The Princess Bride References, reader is female
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 08:37:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18567775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClareGuilty/pseuds/ClareGuilty
Summary: Fareeha develops a crush on a recruit at Helix security. Once she musters up the courage to ask her to be on her team, as well as to go on a date with her, things begin to grow more serious.Featuring lots of movie dates and some sappy lesbians.





	1. Destiny is Calling

Lieutenant Fareeha “Pharah” Amari hated ass kissing and dishonesty more than anything else. She had grown up among the heroes of Overwatch, watching humanity’s best save the planet from the Omnic Crisis. Her uncles were two of most powerful men in the world, her mother one of the best warriors. Her godfather was the most kindhearted, chivalrous fighters of the century. Her family was honest, respectful, true, and strong. They instilled in her a sense of honor and virtue. Fareeha Amari was a protector, a defender.

And she absolutely hated bootlickers. Despite her connections with Overwatch, Fareeha had worked hard to earn her title in the military, to earn her place at Helix security. She was a Lieutenant on her way to becoming a captain - the same rank as her mother - and she had gotten there by putting in her own work every step of the way.

So, when her own subordinates tried to grovel and charm and flatter their way into her pocket, she gave them a kick to the ass and a glare she had learned from the Blackwatch commander. Lieutenant Amari’s squad was reserved for the best and brightest fighters, honest men and women who put in the work to get where they needed to be.

Which was why she wanted you.

Your training scores were off the charts. Your field reports were stellar. Your attitude on and off the clock had been noted and praised by the brass on more than one occasion. 

You were just what Fareeha wanted for her team.

It was easy to find you, on the training grounds, sweaty and panting from the intense routine you had created for yourself. Fareeha took a moment to watch, to admire. She leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, as she watched you spar with one of the training bots. Your form was impressive: sharp, quick punches and precise, powerful kicks. The bot aimed a large downward strike towards your hip, and you dove out of the way, tucking into a roll that was… actually kind of sloppy.

“Tuck your chin and roll over your dominant shoulder,” Fareeha spoke. You snapped to attention, caught off guard by the sudden suggestion.

“Lieutenant Amari,” you greeted, “I wasn’t expecting you, I’m sorry.”

“At ease.” Fareeha stepped into the room. The training bot continued to whir and you hurried to shut it off before turning to face your superior officer.

“If you roll on your neck and spine, it may cause injury. Distribute the weight across your shoulder,” Fareeha explained. “I can demonstrate, if you would like.”

“Yes ma’am,” you nodded, stepping back to give Fareeha room on the mat. She demonstrated the move, just as someone had done for her all those years ago. You watched with eager eyes, always willing to learn.

“Like this?” you asked before executing the move perfectly. Fareeha’s heart swelled to see how quickly you learned. You would make an excellent addition to her team. She watched you pull yourself to your feet and wipe the sweat from your brow. You were breathing hard from the exertion, but still smiling at your success.

“Your technique and form are amazing,” Fareeha returned your grin and handed you your water bottle. You thanked her and took a long drink, tilting your head as some of the water ran over your chin and neck. A deep flush bloomed over your cheeks, spreading all the way to your chest under your sports bra.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” you said quietly, eyes darting to the floor. “The Raptora simulations are getting much more difficult, I’m just trying to keep up.”

“Keep up?” Fareeha asked incredulously, “Your scores are perfect. I’m surprised they haven’t let you try out the Mark IV yet.” 

You looked up in surprise, eyes wide. “The Mark IV? You have no clue how badly I want to try out the concussive rounds.” Your voice was breathy with excitement, and it made Fareeha smile to know there was someone else on base who was as passionate about the combat suits.

Try as she might, Fareeha couldn’t deny that her interest in you was more than just professional. The Lieutenant was eager to recruit you to her team, but she also wanted to spend time with you for more… personal reasons. It had been years since Fareeha had met someone who made her smile so easily, someone who shared her passion and her drive, someone who wasn’t constantly trying to impress her. Not once had you tried to suck up to Fareeha in the hopes of getting special treatment, not once had you thrown an insincere compliment her way in the hopes of getting attention. Fareeha still remembered one of the first times she had run into you on base.

_Her team had just touched down after a mission. A new crime syndicate was starting to take hold in Cairo, and Helix was struggling to keep up with all of the destruction. Fareeha had just stepped off the jet, helmet under one arm and rocket launcher case in hand. She was walking so quickly she nearly collided with you in the hallway, both of you too engrossed in your own task to notice the other._

_“My apologies,” Fareeha said, noticing how your jaw dropped as you realized who was speaking. You struggled to find words for a second. Fareeha was used to it; she knew she looked impressive in her combat suit._

_“Uh, thank you,” you stammered before darting off, blushing hard and short of breath. Fareeha smiled and watched you go._

You were still just as shy. Fareeha had hoped you would be less afraid if she was just wearing her regular training uniform, but you still seemed nervous to meet her eyes.

“Can I request a few things of you?” Fareeha asked. You glanced up and nodded quickly. Though your breathing had evened out and you had recovered from the exertion of your sparring, you were still flushed, and Fareeha didn’t miss the way you licked the sweat from your lips. The corner of her mouth curled. Despite your clear lethality on the field, Fareeha couldn’t help but find you cute.

“Would you like to train the Mark IV’s tomorrow with me? I can arrange a time for just the two of us.” You were already nodding before she could finish speaking.

“I’d love to,” you said earnestly. “I can’t wait to see how the new axial stabilizers work.”

“Trust me; they’re fantastic.” Fareeha grinned before continuing. “My next request does not require an immediate answer. I was hoping to offer you a position on my team if you were willing to take it. You have as much time as you need to decide your answer.” 

You tilted your head in consideration, pulling your bottom lip between your teeth. It was a very sudden offer to simply spring on you, and Fareeha knew it wouldn’t be the easiest of decisions. Her team was on the frontlines, they did dangerous work. She couldn’t fault you for turning down the position.

“Can I give you my answer tomorrow?” you asked. Your brows were furrowed slightly, and she could see how much you were thinking as you considered her offer.

Fareeha nodded, “Of course. This brings me to my third request. This is entirely informal, and you are not obligated to say yes, but I was wondering if you would like to get lunch with me tomorrow? Completely off the books.” This time, Fareeha held her breath. It had been a while since she had asked someone to lunch, and she couldn’t disguise the fact that she was a little nervous.

You pursed your lips and glanced quickly down at your feet before smiling widely at Fareeha. “I’d love to get lunch with you. Have you tried the koshary at Felfela? It’s delicious.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had good koshary,” Fareeha smiled. “I’ll have to give it a try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](https://clareguilty.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Clare_Guilty)


	2. The Photo of the Friend That I Was Looking For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fareeha has Reader over for a movie date

Lieutenant Amari – she had asked you to call her Fareeha – Fareeha’s quarters were a tiny window into the fascinating life of a woman who had been raised by Earth’s greatest heroes. The space was immaculate, orderly and maintained to perfect regulation standards. The neatness spoke volumes about the type of person Fareeha was, but you still saw the glimpses of her home and her heart scattered around and tucked away.

A physical photo album on the nightstand – nothing digital – spine worn and wrinkled as though it was opened frequently, late nights with calloused fingers tracing over laminate memories. A shining gift box, lid open to reveal the soft foam within, large script reading “Happy Birthday”. You wondered if it was a necklace or a bracelet. A soft, aged blanket folded over the bed, clearly well used and far traveled. 

More photos, so many photos. Some framed and lined neatly on the dresser and nightstand, some pinned to a cork board, some strung from twine and held by wooden pins, brushing lightly against the wall as the air kicked on and off periodically.

You stared at each 5x7 memory, displayed proudly across Fareeha’s space. Some of the photos looked old, older than Fareeha even, with folded creases and torn edges and… scorch marks. You recognized the subjects. How could you not? Everyone knew the heroes of Overwatch, saviors of humanity.

Strike Commander Morrison, looking young and carefree, posing ridiculously with a wide, goofy grin on his face. Commander Gabriel Reyes, figure imposing, but expression warm, holding a young Captain Amari in one arm with a beer in the other. Reinhardt Wilhelm with a very young Fareeha standing on his shoulders, flexing her not yet formed muscles. The Fareeha you knew could heft a crate full of rocket launchers without strain; the girl in the picture had a large yellow flower pinned in her hair.

“This is your family?” you asked, eyes following years of adventures in a matter of seconds. You watched a man who you assumed to be Fareeha’s father suddenly begin to disappear as the years passed. You watched members of Overwatch join and pass on, watched the world change frame by frame.

“They mean everything to me.” Fareeha’s voice was closer than you expected, she had moved to stand beside you. “I see them in a way that the media and the posters never do. I hardly recognize the people in the headlines, though they are my own uncles." You noticed Fareeha’s jacket, an oversized military jacket with the name ‘Reyes’ sewn over the left breast. As far as she was from home, she never left them behind.

“Who is this?” you asked incredulously, fighting back a snort of laughter.

The picture was unfocused; clearly the photographer was having a hard time holding it together. A wild looking cowboy was standing on… a desk? He was tilting his hat at the photographer and grinning. Resting atop his old-fashioned cowboy hat were several blue berets and a gray beanie, stacked precariously and already falling even as the picture was snapped.

“That’s Jesse. Overwatch’s cowboy. He’s the one who taught me that roll I showed you yesterday.” Fareeha sighed fondly. This Jesse clearly meant a lot to her.

“Are- were you two…?” you fumbled for the right words. It shouldn’t have made you nervous. Fareeha was beautiful, powerful. This cowboy would have fallen head over heels for her.

“No. Nothing like that. He’s the older brother I always wanted. We got in so much trouble together. Well, he got us in. I got us out.” The gentle smile on Fareeha’s face was so foreign. You realized that none of the other recruits got the chance to see this - the fond, private side of Fareeha.

“Want to watch a movie?” Her question caught you off guard; you were still entranced by the slight crinkle at the corner of her eyes. “I’m a sucker for the scary ones.” The corner of her mouth curled up and you were surprised to recognize the same smile on Commander Reyes in one of the photos on the wall.

“I feel it’s only fair to warn you that I’m an absolute coward,” you returned her smile, fingers toying with the hems of your sleeves. How could you possibly fight and train alongside this woman when she made you so nervous? You felt yourself become so scatterbrained every time she turned one of her bright smiles on you. After seeing all of the pictures of her family, you suddenly felt you understood Fareeha. The order and strength from her mother and the Strike Commander. The wild enthusiasm of the cowboy and Commander Reyes. The fierce love from the crusader. You could even see a little bit of her father, the same sparkle in her eyes.

She grabbed the blanket from the bed and draped it over your laps as she searched for a movie. The titles turned more and more gruesome until she finally settled on what looked to be the most horrifying one. You wondered where she had gotten her taste in movies from.

True to your word, you spent a better part of the movie ducked against Fareeha’s shoulder, flinching at every loud noise and shrill scream. She wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into her side and rubbing her thumb over your back to soothe you.

As the movie played, you realized that Fareeha may have planned this, may have wanted to frighten you just for an excuse to show off, to play the hero. You realized that it didn’t bother you that much.

As the credits rolled, you uncovered your eyes and sat up straight. Fareeha looked smug.

“That was… quite the movie,” you shrugged and glanced around awkwardly. You were still nestled next to Fareeha, her arm wrapped around you protectively and a satisfied grin painted across her face.

“Uh, Fareeha?” you asked, and she turned her full attention on you now. “Thanks… for today. Training, and lunch, and the movie. It was all really great. And I wanted to say that – if you don’t think I’m too much of a scaredy-cat – I would really like to join your team. I promise I’m only scared of the movies.”

Her face lit up. “Of course! I would love to have you. We would love to have you.” She pulled you in for a hug.

“One more thing,” you said as she crushed you against her solid form.

“What’s that?” 

“Next time you want to cuddle, can we watch a rom-com instead?”

She laughed, loud and free.

“Next time is your pick.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Tumblr](https://clareguilty.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Clare_Guilty)


	3. "As You Wish"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE PRINCESS BRIDE
> 
> that is all

You and Fareeha were sitting across from each other on the paper covered beds in the medical wing desperately trying not to look at each other’s chests. 

Two very kind medical techs were attentively bandaging the matching breaks in your ribs. Deep purple bruises were already blooming across your sides, though you had just gotten off the training field thirty minutes before. 

Your arms ached as you raised them, trying to lift your elbows in order to make things easier for the young man who was wrapping an alarming amount of bandage around your midsection. The next few days were not going to be easy.

Fareeha winced, nose scrunching in discomfort.

“I’m really sorry about this,” she apologized yet again.

“It’s really not your fault,” you assured her. “The only people to blame for this are the engineers that forgot that human beings don’t take to kindly to being slammed around in a metal rocket suit.”

“But I should have confirmed the stabilizers were safe before I let you try them out.”

“You still would have broken your ribs!” you exclaimed.

“But then you wouldn’t have broken ribs.” Fareeha raised her eyebrows pointedly.

“At least we’re out of commission together.”

It was an overall shitty situation. You and Fareeha had been testing out the new Mark IV Raptora suits, working on different flight patterns testing mobility. The new suits had a new feature, axial stabilizers. These stabilizers could temporary lock the pilot in place to allow for precise targeting or deployment of a barrage of rockets. It was an interesting feature and the technology could have implications beyond the combat-oriented flight suits.

Unfortunately, the axial stabilizers did not account for the elasticity of the human pilots. You and Fareeha had both engaged the stabilizers immediately after accelerating forwards, and the resulting impact against the inside of the suit had resulted in broken ribs and severe bruising.

It hurt, but you would heal just fine. A week of rest and everything would be back to normal. At least you would get to spend most of it with Fareeha.

She appeared much more upset about the situation, which was understandable. She was a lieutenant; she had a unit to watch over and responsibilities that required her to be at peak performance at all times. A week off the field would be very stressful for her.

The techs spent several minutes giving you way too many instructions to follow for the next several days before releasing you back to your quarters, which meant Fareeha’s quarters. You both gingerly settled onto the couch, wincing and groaning as you tested the limits of your newly limited mobility.

Several moments of silence passed, neither of you speaking. You were about to fall asleep as the painkillers you had taken earlier began to kick in. Fareeha, on the other hand, stood abruptly and began making her way towards the small fridge on the other side of the room.

“We need ice cream,” she said definitively.

You snapped back to alertness. “Fuck yeah. Ice cream.”

You heard a small chuckle and the hiss of the freezer door opening. A moment later, Fareeha nestled in next to you and handed you a spoon. Vanilla bean. She shoved the carton in between both of your legs and carved out a spoonful. 

The two of you went ham. Within minutes the ice cream was gone and both of you dozing contentedly in a Lortab induced stupor. 

An indeterminate amount of time passed before you both had the energy to move again. Soreness was setting in, seeping into your body in place of the medicine. You needed to get to a bed.

It took considerable exertion to push yourself to your feet. Fareeha made no such effort.

“Faree, let’s go to bed,” you nudged her arm. She groaned but didn’t move.

“Come on, babe,” you shoved your arms under her and pushed Fareeha up until she was leaning on your shoulder. Despite her bulk, you managed to lay her onto the bed and pull a blanket up to her shoulders.

You cleaned up the evidence of your ice cream extravaganza, and began shuffling towards the door. You blinked in the harsh light of the corridor, gathering the strength to walk back to your own quarters.

“Stay,” the voice was muffled, originating from the lump on the bed.

You hesitated. You and Fareeha were both pretty banged up, and you didn’t want to cause her any trouble, but the walk to your own room was beginning to look like torture.

“Please?” the question was so soft, so gentle coming from Lieutenant Fareeha Amari. You couldn’t say no.

The journey back to Fareeha’s bed was much shorter than the one to your room, and her sheets were much softer than yours. You were asleep in seconds.

The other side of the bed was empty when you woke. Blinking away your fatigue, you struggled to your feet. The pain was definitely worse today. 

Fareeha appeared beside you, holding a mug of tea. You took the cup in two hands, breathing in as deep as your bandaged chest would allow. 

“How are you feeling?” you asked.

“I’ve been better,” her smile was small. She took a sip of her tea and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Thank you for staying with me.”

“Anytime,” you sat next to her, nudging her very gently with your elbow. “Wanna watch _The Princess Bride_?”

This time, Fareeha grinned wide, already working to pull up the movie on the holo screen. The two of you leaned on each other as you made your way back to the couch. She pulled you into her arms and draped the worn blanket over the both of you.

The movie was exactly what you needed, an old-timey fairy tale to warm your hearts and distract you from all of the pressing matters that awaited you outside of Fareeha’s quarters. Sure, laughing hurt, but the pain was bearable as long as Fareeha was laughing with you.

The movie ended, and you rolled to face Fareeha, brushing her hair back with one hand. “Which one of us is Westley, and which one of us is Buttercup?” you asked.

“Dibs on Westley,” Fareeha said.

“Dibs on Buttercup,” you leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://clareguilty.tumblr.com/)
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Clare_Guilty)


End file.
